IRS official Lois Lernerinvoked the Fifth Amendment in response to Issa’s questions Wednesday morning, following which Cummings demanded time and railed against the “one-sided investigation” that he said was “absolutely un-American.” Issa told reporters outside that he had determined Lerner was not going to answer his questions, and as Cummings was using his allotted questioning time to “make a speech,” there was no reason for the hearing to continue.

“He was talking into a mic in an adjourned meeting,” Issa said. “The fact is Mr. Cummings came to make a point of his objections to the process we have been going through. He was actually slandering me at the moment that the mics did go off by claiming that this had not been a real investigation.”

“Just because Mr. Cummings would like to have a more convenient truth, doesn’t give him the right to make a speech,” Issa added.